Milly Gaines
Years of dieting can take a toll on your metabolism, causing it to slow down and making it harder to lose weight. This is because when you restrict calories, your body goes into conservation mode, storing more energy and burning fewer calories. This can lead to a vicious cycle of weight loss and gain, also known as yo-yo dieting, which further slows your metabolism. However, there are several ways to correct your metabolism and get it back on track. First, ensure you're getting enough sleep as sleep deprivation can disrupt hormone balances, leading to increased cortisol levels and a slower metabolism. Managing stress through meditation or other techniques is also key, as high cortisol levels are linked to abdominal fat storage and insulin resistance. Additionally, focus on building muscle mass through strength training or body-weight exercises, as muscle burns more calories than fat and boosts your metabolic rate. Eating a diet rich in protein can also help increase muscle mass and boost metabolism. Finally, make sure to stay hydrated, as water is necessary for optimal metabolism. By implementing these changes, you can correct your metabolism and improve your overall health.
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What You'll Learn
Get enough sleep. Aim for 7-9 hours per night
Sleep is essential for regulating metabolism and overall health and well-being. Aim for 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. Sleeping less than 7 hours contributes to a host of hormonal changes, including blood sugar and cortisol increases. Cortisol is a stress hormone that signals your body to conserve energy, making it more challenging to lose weight. Short sleep also reduces the satiety hormone leptin and increases the hunger hormone ghrelin, leading to increased food intake and weight gain.
Research shows that just a few days of insufficient sleep can negatively impact your body's ability to process insulin, a hormone needed to convert food into energy. One study found that dieters who slept only 5.5 hours a night over two weeks experienced a 55% reduction in fat loss, despite maintaining the same calorie intake.
Sleep loss also affects the basic metabolic functions of storing carbohydrates and regulating hormones. For example, a reduction in sleep from eight hours to four hours can lead to changes in glucose metabolism that resemble those of type 2 diabetes patients. These individuals took 40% longer to regulate blood sugar levels after a high-carbohydrate meal, and their insulin secretion and response decreased by 30%.
Chronic sleep deprivation, or sleeping less than 8 hours a night, has been associated with an increase in body mass index (BMI) and obesity. In a study of 70,000 women over 16 years, those who slept 5 hours or less experienced significant weight gain compared to those who slept 7 to 8 hours. As sleep duration has decreased over time, there has been a corresponding increase in obesity rates.
To improve your sleep habits, establish a bedtime routine and stick to a consistent sleep schedule, even on weekends. Avoid heavy meals, alcohol, and caffeinated or chocolatey drinks close to bedtime, as these can disrupt your sleep. Instead, opt for a warm bath, meditation, or reading to relax and prepare for sleep.
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Eat a varied diet with whole foods
Eating a varied diet with whole foods is an essential part of boosting your metabolism, especially after a long diet. Firstly, it is important to understand that metabolism is the rate at which your body burns calories for energy. This metabolic rate can be influenced by factors such as age, activity levels, genetics, and other factors like dietary habits and lifestyle choices.
A varied diet with whole foods ensures that your body receives a diverse range of nutrients, which is crucial for maintaining a healthy metabolism. Whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains, are packed with essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. These nutrients support the efficient functioning of your body's systems, including metabolism. For example, B vitamins, found in eggs, legumes, and whole grains, are directly involved in the process of converting food calories into energy. Similarly, iodine-rich foods like seaweed help maintain metabolic health and ensure proper thyroid function, which influences metabolism.
Additionally, protein-rich whole foods like beans, lentils, and lean meats can increase your metabolic rate by 15-30%, compared to 5-10% for carbohydrates and 0-3% for fats. This is because proteins have a higher thermic effect, requiring more energy for digestion and increasing calorie burn. For instance, legumes and beans are high in protein and dietary fiber, keeping you satiated with fewer calories and aiding in weight management.
A varied diet with whole foods also helps maintain a healthy weight, which is crucial for a healthy metabolism. Whole foods tend to be more filling and nutrient-dense, making it easier to maintain a calorie deficit without feeling deprived. This is in contrast to crash diets or fad diets, which can slow down your metabolism and lead to a cycle of yo-yo dieting. By focusing on whole foods, you avoid extreme measures and promote a sustainable, healthy relationship with food, supporting your metabolism in the long term.
In conclusion, eating a varied diet with whole foods is a cornerstone of boosting your metabolism. It provides your body with the nutrients needed to efficiently convert food into energy, supports a healthy weight, and helps prevent the negative impacts of restrictive dieting. By incorporating a diverse range of whole foods into your diet, you can promote a healthy metabolism and overall well-being.
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Exercise regularly. Try strength training or HIIT
If you've been on a long diet, your metabolism may have slowed down. To correct this, exercising regularly is key. Aim for at least three metabolism-boosting workouts per week. You can try strength training or HIIT workouts, or a combination of both.
Strength Training
Strength training helps to increase your resting metabolic rate (RMR) by increasing the amount of lean muscle on your body. Lean muscle tissue is more metabolically active than fat, so a body with more muscle mass will require more energy, even at rest. For example, a 150-pound person burns 102 calories during 30 minutes of moderate weight training. You can try old-school weight lifting, or body-weight exercises such as squats and planks. Yoga and Pilates can also build strength and stability.
HIIT
HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) is a great way to boost your metabolism. It uses energy systems that don't require oxygen, which means you'll be making up for the exercise by taking in more oxygen afterward, thus burning more calories. A study found that 30 minutes of HIIT resulted in a 14% EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption) effect, compared to 7% for 45 minutes of LISS (low-intensity steady state cardio).
Combining Cardio and Strength Training
Many exercisers combine cardio and weight training to get the best of both worlds. For example, you can run for three days a week, and on the other days, you can do a full-body weight-training routine. This schedule allows you to meet physical activity recommendations while also giving your body time to rest.
Remember, getting enough sleep and managing stress are also important factors in boosting your metabolism.
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Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water
Staying hydrated is essential for a healthy body and a healthy metabolism. Water is key to keeping your body functioning as it should, and it is especially important after a long diet, when your body may be in recovery mode.
Firstly, water is necessary to avoid dehydration, which can cause dizziness and weakness. When you are dehydrated, your body cannot function at its best, and this includes your metabolism. Water fasting, for example, can be dangerous if you do not rehydrate properly. Water fasting is a popular health trend, where a person consumes only water for a set period, usually 24-72 hours. It is said to have health benefits, but it can also be risky, and it is important to reintroduce food slowly after a fast, to avoid refeeding syndrome.
Secondly, drinking water helps your body to replace essential minerals lost during fasting or dieting. Mineral-rich water is recommended, and it is important to drink 2-3 litres of water a day. Water also helps to suppress hunger and can aid weight loss.
Thirdly, water is key to flushing out toxins and waste products. When you are dieting, your body is in a state of change, and it is important to support your body's natural processes. Water is necessary for digestion and the breakdown of food, and it can help to prevent constipation, which is a common side effect of a slow metabolism.
Finally, drinking water can help to boost your metabolism. Research has shown that water fasting can help to lower blood pressure and reduce bad cholesterol, which in turn can support a healthier metabolism.
In conclusion, staying hydrated is an important part of supporting your metabolism, especially after a long diet. Water is key to keeping your body functioning as it should, and it has many health benefits.
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Manage stress. Try meditation or active stress management
Stress management is an important part of maintaining a healthy metabolism. Unmanaged stress can raise cortisol levels, negatively impacting glucose, insulin, and metabolism. Chronically high cortisol levels can lead to abdominal fat storage, insulin resistance, and weight gain. Here are some ways to manage stress and improve your overall well-being:
Meditation
Meditation is a powerful tool for reducing psychological stress and improving stress-related health problems. Mindfulness meditation has been shown to have moderate evidence of improving anxiety and depression and low evidence of improving stress/distress and mental health-related quality of life. Meditation helps calm the mind, lower heart rate, and reduce the stress hormone cortisol. It can be practised through mindfulness, deep breathing exercises, or guided meditation programs.
Relaxation Techniques
In addition to meditation, other relaxation techniques can be beneficial. Laughing has been shown to reduce stress and boost your mood. Spending time with loved ones, watching a funny show, or engaging in activities that make you laugh can help manage stress levels. Creating a soothing environment, listening to calming music, and improving sleep habits can also aid in stress reduction.
Physical Activity
Exercising is a great way to manage stress. It helps release endorphins, improving your mood and reducing the negative impacts of stress. Walking outdoors, practising yoga or tai chi, and strength training are some physical activities that can help manage stress while also boosting your metabolism.
Time Management
Effective time management can help reduce stress levels. Planning your day in advance, using lists or smartphone apps, and learning to say no to non-essential tasks can help reduce feelings of overwhelm. Making "me time" for activities you enjoy, such as reading a book or pursuing a hobby, can also contribute to stress reduction.
Seek Professional Help
If you feel overwhelmed by stress, consider seeking professional help. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a proven technique that can help you change how you respond to stressful situations. A therapist or mental health professional can provide additional techniques and support to manage stress effectively.
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Frequently asked questions
First, it's important to note that chronic dieting or crash dieting can slow down your metabolism as your body adapts to conserve energy by storing more energy and expending less. To correct this, you can:
- Focus on getting 7-9 hours of sleep per night to regulate your hormones and reduce your risk of weight gain.
- Manage your stress levels through meditation or other techniques to reduce cortisol levels.
- Eat a varied diet with plenty of whole foods, protein, and probiotic-rich foods.
Eating plenty of protein with each meal can boost your metabolism. Collagen-based protein bars, for example, have been shown to improve cardiometabolic health.
Yes, strength training or resistance training can help build muscle, which in turn increases your metabolic rate. HIIT training has also been shown to indirectly increase metabolism, causing the body to burn more fat and use more energy.
